Several Somali pirates were killed in an armed clash with security forces off the coast of Somalia on Sunday, according to AFP.
The gun battle at Hararhere, Mudug region, resulted in the freeing of a seized fishing boat which is believed to be the Iranian boat hijacked on November 23 with 15 crew members.
Detailed information regarding the incident and the fate of the boat’s crew are still not available.
Witnesses reportedly said that seven pirates were killed, and two were wounded in the shooting.
As World Maritime News reported , the fishing vessel was on its way to Somalia when it was hijacked some 305 nautical miles off the coast.
Despite a slowdown in pirate activity in the region prompted by the presence of international security forces, several incidents from the recent period indicate that the piracy is again ramping up.
A number of hostages still remain in pirate hands, including an Iranian fishing dhow, the Siraj, seized earlier this year.
World Maritime News Staff